Ranmaru
Ranmaru (爛丸, Ranmaru) is a wandering who currently is attempting to secure his own territory in the through challenging other martial artists. He wishes to build a to teach his own form, that being the Five Forms of Nature Fist (自然の五形拳, Shizen no Gokeiken), of which he is the sole practitioner. Appearance Ranmaru bears the appearance of a surprisingly effeminate man despite his imposing status within the Heikai as a renowned warrior. What is most striking about his appearance are his, almost delicate, facial features. From certain angles, the man appears to be beautiful, almost serene. His face as calm as a still pond, with a thin nose, lips and an accentuated jawline. Like many martial artists before and after him, however, Ranmaru has grown his black hair outwards. It is normally kept in a simple ponytail tied by a red ribbon. In situations where he is forced to exert his full might, the ribbon appears to unravel on its own, leaving his hair to fan out behind him. In terms of build, Ranmaru has a lean-looking build at first sight. However, he has shown to be deceptively muscular, having engaged in efficient training that has minimized bulkiness in exchange for much more power within his muscles for long-term usage. Ranmaru's attire is quite simplistic. He is seen wearing a long and flowing white over the entirety of his body. The haori, given to him by his teachers, is a symbol of his mastery over the martial arts, as made evident by the symbol of at the location where his heart is. Underneath this haori is a white , and . At his waist, underneath his haori, is also a light blue sash. However, rather than keep his sword there, he has an additional strap that goes over his torso, thus enabling him to fasten his sword at his back. For footwear, Ranmaru appears to wear nothing more than white and a standard pair of . Personality History Little is known of Ranmaru's history given his unwillingness to disclose this personal information. According to Ranmaru — as described by his parents — he was found floating on a river within the deep forests of the Rukongai, eventually picked up by the individuals he would later regard as his parents. These beings were later regarded by Ranmaru as the Five Animal Spirit Teachers (五獣霊先生方, Gojūrei Senseigata) due to the fact that, within the early periods of his life, he was taught everything he knows of the world by them. These lessons included basic education of language all the way to the known history of and the Yuánrǎng, the latter being due to their migration from the said realm to Soul Society. Although he was taught the basics of education, his true teachings were forged around the martial arts, which included both unarmed and armed combat. He would eventually gain the blade carried by the former master of these animals. However, this joyous occasion would be cut short through the entrance of the Sword Demon . His absolutely dominating skills razed the forest that Ranmaru had lived in to ashes along with his parents. Even in the face of this overwhelming power, Ranmaru was the sole survivor of this event, managing to fight off the threat he possessed long enough for him to consider killing Ranmaru as a pointless endeavor, eventually asking the man to join him. It is unknown what occurred after this point, but Ranmaru eventually left the newly established without a zanpakutō, wandering the Rukongai with no more than his martial prowess to save him from any threats that could exist towards his being. Eventually, the emergence of across the Rukongai — later classified as the Heikai — would intrigue the martial artist, whose only motivation had been to kill the Sword Demon, that is until his death by the hands of . With his skills and legacy behind him, Ranmaru now seeks to impart the knowledge of his deceased parental figures to future descendants. Across this endeavor, he has challenged several martial artists as a means to conquer the land they place their martial arts institutions within, for a martial artist can only conquer through demonstrating their strength, or rather, their will. Synopsis Equipment Kōkūzō (虚空蔵, Receptacle of Void): Powers and Abilities Hakuda Master : Hakuda is the art of cultivating one's own body and soul to its greatest limit, providing the power necessary to live in a world that forces one to constantly be challenged. Indeed, Hakuda is not solely the art of physical combat, it is the art of survival in its purest form. Before civilization, before humanity, before order, all that had existed was the purest instinct to survive, feed and grow to live further than others. It is from this very instinct to survive that animals' behaviors surged, that plants stood taller than others, that some grew roots larger than others. Ranmaru, as a disciple of those who have stood against the world to pass their teachings, is a man who embodies this Hakuda... Five Forms of Nature Fist (自然の五形拳, Shizen no Gokeiken) *'Fiery Tiger Claws' (炎虎爪, Enko Tsume) *'Flowing Snakeskin' (流れ蛇革, Nagare Hebigawa) *'Grounded Bear Fur' (基く熊毛, Motoku Kumake) *'Migrating Crane Wings' (旅鶴羽, Tabi Tsuruba) *'Flashing Dragon Tail' (雷火竜尾, Raika Ryūbi) Kenjutsu Master Trivia Quotes Behind the Scenes Category:Males Category:Souls Category:Hakuda Masters Category:Master Swordsmen